CJ's First Briefing
by Kerryfan
Summary: CJ has her first briefing and nothing is going right!


A/N: This is my first story in about six years and my first West Wing story, so please be kind!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.  
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~~~~CJ's First Briefing~~~~

CJ woke up feeling slightly sick to her stomach. Today was her first briefing as White House Press Secretary. She thought she could handle it, it was easy on the campaign when it was only a few reporters and only broadcast locally, most of the time. Now it would be a room full of reporters, that she would have to remember the names of, and cameras that would broadcast her live to millions of viewers all over the world. At that last thought, CJ thought she would throw up, but before she could climb out of the bed and run to the bathroom she realized that her pager and cell phone had been going off. She must have really been out of it not to hear the incessant noises of the devices she was quickly growing tired of. As she turned over to grab them off the night stand she glanced at the clock and jumped out of the bed cursing. Not only at the fact that is was 9 am, she missed morning staff and had a briefing at 10, and the fact that it was cold inside her usually warm apartment.

"Oh fuck! Dammit to hell!" She screamed while rushing to get in the shower. How could I forget to set my alarm clock, and on today of all days? Way to make a first impression in the most important job she has ever had and probably ever had. Forgoing her usual morning routines, she rushed through her shower, hastily put on a little makeup, and picked out the first clean thing she could find. She grabbed a cup of yesterday's coffee, put on her coat, and rushed out the door.

Already late, CJ finds herself stuck in a mild traffic jam, it was 9:45 and she was still a few blocks from the White House. She went to grab her cell to call Carol and let her know what was going on, but quickly realized that she left her cell and pager on her night stand. "Oh, just fucking perfect, could this day get any worse!"

Finally the traffic jam started moving again and she made it to the White House with just a few minutes to spare. As she went to swipe her card, she realized that she had forgotten that too. Before she could cry in frustration, in front of several people she would have to face every day as she walked through these doors, Josh and Carol came rushing up to her.

"Where the hell have you been?" Josh all but screamed at her. She turned and gave him a look of pure hatred that made him back down.

"You have no idea what I have gone through this morning, so don't start with me Lyman!" She almost screamed back, but seeing the look of concern on Carols face calmed her enough not to. "Can you please confirm who I am, so that I can get to work?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"It's ok, she's with us." Josh told the security guard, who let go letting CJ know that this wouldn't be tolerated in the future. Before she could bite his head off too Josh and Carol swept her down the hall, towards the Press room.

"We tried to call you, but got no answer." Carol said weakly, not wanting to anger her boss any further, handing CJ the Press book.

"I didn't have time to answer them and then I forgot them while rushing out the door. This is going to be one hell of a day." She said apologetically, feeling bad about her mood. It wasn't their fault she couldn't get her shit together.

Carol gave her the important highlights and took her coat from her, looking at her stunned. CJ was in her pajamas! Before she could say anything CJ rushed through the door and up to the podium, cameras flashing in her face. Carol looked around for Josh to see what she should do, but found that he had disappeared. It was just as well, it would give her time to figure out what to do. She should probably start looking for another job, because after this morning they would surly be booting CJ out on her ass. She groaned, she really liked this job.

Mean while, in the Press room, after the initial pictures and the reporters got a good look at CJ in stunned silence. They didn't know what to do or say, they have never been in this position before. CJ just thought they were trying to be nice on her first day. What am I thinking, they must have something up their sleeves, reporters were never this quiet. To show them that she wasn't scared, she put a smile on her face and said, "All right let's get this show on the road." The reporters just nodded in unison, looking at each other confused.

CJ shrugged and opened her briefing book and just stared down at it. It wasn't in English, it was written all in German! CJ looked up desperately trying to cover her shock and to remember what Carol had told he, but nothing came. Her mind was totally blank. She looked out at the reporters and saw their confused faces, why weren't they demanding what was going on. Then it hit her that they were playing a practical joke on her, since it was her first day. She started laughing so hard that was starting to cry.

"CJ, what is going on and why are you laughing, have you lost your mind?" One of the reporters finally spoke up with earnest confusion. Which of course, since she was still laughing, she took as mock innocence.

"Not yet, but you guys had me going there for a minute." CJ said regaining some of her composure. "That was a good joke!"

"What are you talking about; we didn't do anything, seriously." He said getting a little angry and looking around the room at nodding reporters for conformation. "You're the one who is joking with us!" He accused raising his voice a little higher.

She looked at him with earnest confusion. "I don't know what you are talking about, I didn't plan any of this." She said confused and close to losing it.

"Then why the hell are you dressed like that?" Another reporter asked?

"Huh, what are you talking about?" She asked even more confused now. Suddenly she looked down and, to her shock and horror, discovered that she had her pajamas on instead of a suit. She was about to faint when suddenly all the reporters pagers went off. She thought she had finally found her escape, but she couldn't move from where she was standing. If that wasn't bad enough the incessant beeping of the reporters pagers wouldn't stop and they made no move to shut them off. "Ahhhh!" CJ screamed in frustration, closing her eyes.

When she opened them she was no longer in the Press room. It took her a few groggy minutes to figure out where she was. Then it hit her that she was in bed, she had been dreaming, and the incessant beeping had been her alarm clock going off. She turned to turn it off and was relieved to find that it was 4 in the morning, just what time she had set it for. She wasn't late; it was all a horrible nightmare. She was so relieved that she started to laugh and cry at the same time.

After a few moments she got up, put some coffee on, checked the wires, and got ready for work. Before walking out the door she double checked to make sure she had her cell, pager, and badge. She walked into the White House around 6, leaving time before morning staff to make sure she had everything she needed for her morning briefing.

She greeted Carol as she walked into her office. "Good morning Carol, you got my briefing materials ready?"

"Good morning to you too." Carol said handing her the briefing book. "Are you ok, CJ? You look a little pale!" She asked looking concerned at CJ's trepidation at her briefing book.

CJ opened the book to look at it, before she answered Carol, and was relieved to see that it was written in English and she could understand it. "Yeah I'm fine; I just had a rough night." She sighed, mainly a sigh of relief at the fact that her day was nothing like her dream, so far. She still had to get through her briefing.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Carol asked with sympathy, glad she didn't have CJ's job.

"No, I'll be fine. Just first briefing jitters. Speaking of that, it's time to go!" She sighed, picking up her briefing book, and taking a deep breath, she walked with Carol to the Press room. When she got there she let out the breath that she didn't realize that she was still holding in.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Carol asked her.

"Well, I'm not late, I'm wearing actual clothes, and my Briefs written in English. I think I'll be ok." She said with a sigh. Carol just looked at her curiously. CJ gave her a quick smile and said, "Here goes nothing!" She walked into the briefing room, with Carol following behind her still trying to figure out what CJ was talking about, and up to the podium. After the flashes of the cameras died down she introduced herself to the Press Corp that she would be briefing for their stay in the White House. "Now that we are introduced let's get this briefing started, shall we?" She said with a confident smile.

"CJ, CJ!" They started to shout.

~~~~Finished~~~~


End file.
